The 2019–20 season for the University of Iowa’s Hancher Auditorium will get off to an early start with a rare summer concert featuring a Motown legend. The season also will extend beyond its usual date to end with an August 2020 festival along the Iowa River. In between, Hancher will present the diverse collection of world-class artists for which it is known.
Download Hancher’s 2019–20 season schedule and brochure.
The legendary Diana Ross, on tour in celebration of her 75th birthday, will open the Hancher season on Friday, July 19. An icon of American music, Ross will perform songs dating back to her breakthrough with the Supremes and from throughout her impressive solo career.
Ross is just the first of a series of amazing female vocalists who will appear during the 2019–20 season. Storm Large, who delighted Club Hancher audiences last season, will deliver a free outdoor concert on the Hancher Green on Friday, Sept. 6. Audra McDonald, a stunning vocalist and star of stage and screen, will perform songs from musical theater later in September. Soprano Kiera Duffy will join the Miró Quartet for a concert in January; singer-songwriter Gina Chavez will offer up the inaugural Kids Club Hancher performances; and Rosanne Cash—carrier of her family’s legacy and brilliant artist in her own right—will engage in a robust residency in Iowa City leading up to her February concert.
Another female genius of American song is at the heart of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which Hancher will present in early April. It will be the final Broadway performance of the season, preceded by the 20th anniversary tour of Rent and The Color Purple, the Tony-winning revival based on Alice Walker’s novel of the same name.
Tickets for 2019–20 Hancher events
Hancher donors who have given at least $100 over the last year will soon receive a season brochure with an order form and an opportunity to order tickets early. Donors who have given $1,000 or more over the last year will be seated first followed by those who have given up to $999. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on July 1.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the Hancher Box Office in advance at 319-335-1158.
Other theater offerings include SITI Company performing a powerful adaptation of The Bacchae that reimagines the god Dionysus as a Mick Jagger-like figure; the Actors’ Gang performing The New Colossus, a moving exploration of the immigration experience; and Slingsby Theatre Company performing an imaginative adaptation of the kids’ classic Emil and the Detectives.
Slingsby’s appearance is part of a series of shows focused on younger audiences taking place in Hancher’s Strauss Hall. In late April, Compagnia TPO—masters of interactive, multi-media performances—will present Farfalle (Butterfly). Chavez’s Kids Club Hancher performances also will invite smaller audiences to get close to the music in Strauss Hall.
Other Club Hancher performances—for adults but also suitable for young people—include appearances by jazz cellist Tomeka Reid and her quartet, the innovative Norwegian trio Dreamers’ Circus, and saxophonist Melissa Aldana and her quartet. Club Hancher once again will feature special food and drink options that must be ordered in advance of the performances.
In February, Hancher will extend the Embracing Complexity project with two evenings of work by Muslim artists. On Feb. 21 in Strauss Hall, spoken-word artists Syed Umar Warsi, Amir Safi, and Amal Kassir will perform. The following night on the Hadley Stage, comedian Negin Farsad, best known for her film The Muslims Are Coming! and her book, How to Make White People Laugh, will perform.
Earlier in the season, political commentator Van Jones will present a free lecture titled “Protest & Politics in the Age of Twitter.” The event is a collaboration with the UI College of Law’s Levitt Lecture Series.
The dance lineup features an array of styles and approaches to choreography and storytelling. Urban Bush Women will perform Hair & Other Stories; Japanese butoh company Sankai Juku will present Utsushi (Between Two Mirrors); CONTRA-TIEMPO will share the stage with Hancher favorites Las Cafeteras for joyUS, justUS; RUBBERBANDance will celebrate its artistic director’s vision with Vic’s Mix; and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will grace the new Hancher stage with a performance that will include its namesake’s masterwork, Revelations.
Chamber music performances during the 2019–20 season include two concerts focusing on American music and composers—one performed by the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (American Guitar Masters) and the other by Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (New World Spirit). The Los Angeles Master Chorale will perform Lagrime di San Pietro (Tears of St. Peter) in a staged production directed by Peter Sellers. The string quartet ETHEL has collaborated with Robert Mirabel to create The River, which Hancher will present in conjunction with Flow Together, the UI theme semester. And the Danish String Quartet—one of the most in-demand ensembles in the world today—will perform on the Hadley Stage in early May.
A series of musical superstars from a variety of genres will perform at Hancher this season as well. Jazz pianist Chick Corea—along with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade—will perform Trilogy, a recreation of one of the band’s best-loved records. Holiday shows will be offered up by New Orleans’ favorite, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet (A Cajun Christmas), and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra featuring Wynton Marsalis (Big Band Holidays). The Chieftains, a band with a storied career celebrating and pushing forward Irish music, will perform An Irish Goodbye. And in April, the Boston Pops on Tour under the baton of Keith Lockhart will perform Lights, Camera…Music! Six Decades of John Williams.
Then in August 2020, Hancher—in collaboration with the city of Iowa City and the UI’s IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering—will present The Big Splash!, a free three-day festival celebrating the Iowa River. Ambitious in scope and designed for the entire family, The Big Splash! celebrates the 100th anniversary of IIHR and is the culminating event of the Flow Together theme semester.
On Thursdays throughout the season, the Stanley Café in Hancher Auditorium will be open to the public from 5 to 7:30 pm. These casual events will occur whether or not there is a performance that evening. Appetizers and beverages will be available for purchase, and some Thursdays will feature special events.
Hancher again will present four Culinary Arts Experiences featuring unique menus from Saint Burch Tavern/Pullman Diner, University Catering, Trumpet Blossom Café, and Maggie’s Farm Wood-Fired Pizza. Tickets to the culinary events must be purchased in advance and will go on sale closer to each event. A special Brunch with Santa will be hosted by the Hancher Guild on Dec. 7 and will feature plenty of holiday cheer and surprises for families. Tickets for the brunch will also go on sale at a later date.
As always, many of the artists Hancher presents this season will engage with the campus and community via residency events. From master classes with students to discussions of the role of creative work in the pursuit of social justice—and much more—these residency events are at the heart of Hancher’s efforts to connect artists and audiences in impactful ways.
The 2019–20 season is supported by more than 200 Hancher Partners and gifts to the Hancher Circle through the UI Center for Advancement. A complete list of Hancher Partners can be found on the Hancher website.
